The Queensland Government says ample scientific evidence went into the drafting of its Wild Rivers legislation.

Three rivers on Cape York were declared earlier this month for their high conservation value, but a leading rivers expert says not enough science went into the decision.

Professor Stuart Bunn from the Australian Rivers Institute (ARI) says while tropical rivers certainly need protection, just "locking them up" is not the best form of management.

But Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson says the Government has used the best research available and a precautionary approach in declaring Wild Rivers.

"Wild Rivers science is to some extent an emerging science," he said.

"A lot of work hasn't been done in relation to assessing the environmental health of the waterways in Cape York, but that's why in terms of using the science that we have at our disposal now, we're taking a precautionary approach to limit developmental impact on the Wild Rivers.

He says the Government will continue to be guided by new science as it becomes available from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Natural Resources and a range of universities.

Professor Bunn had earlier told the ABC he thought there was little scientific input into the declaration of the Lockhart, Stewart and Archer rivers on April 3.

"We've had some discussions with (the Government) about our interests in having some input into that process," he said.

"But up until now the process of selecting catchments and the whole development of the legislation has not been one that has really required or incorporated a lot of that."

"We've been encouraging the Government to do the science work. It's based on a sound scientific basis and a sound ecological basis along precautionary principle lines," said Dr Seelig, who led a campaign to have the rivers declared.

"We can see what happens when intensive irrigation, damming and mining activities has simply destroyed rivers.

"The Wild Rivers Act initiative is a way of ensuring that some of our last free-flowing pristine rivers are protected, but are protected in a reasonable and an appropriate way."

He cites the experience of the Murray-Darling river system as an example of what could happen if large-scale development is allowed to grow in Cape York.

"Australia doesn't have many pristine, free-flowing rivers left and most of those are found in northern Australia.

"It's about finding out where the remaining pristine rivers are and trying to find the best way of managing them to protect them from environmentally destructive practices."

War of words

Dr Seelig also hit back at accusations the Society was involved in a "sleazy deal" with the Government and that it locked Indigenous communities out of the consultation process.

The criticism had come from Indigenous leader Noel Pearson, who has quit the Cape York Institute to fight the Government, and Indigenous studies professor Marcia Langton from Melbourne University.

They have both accused the Wilderness Society of running an emotive campaign without actually visiting the Cape, and cutting short discussions with traditional owners.

Dr Seelig describes these claims as "rubbish", saying when the Society was approached by the Balkanu Development Corporation (BDC) and Aboriginal elders, it was happy to arrange talks.

"We met with them, we found that there were quite a few issues in common and some issues that clearly needed to be worked out," he said.

"We wrote to them and wrote to the Queensland Government seeking more negotiation process and more time if the traditional owners needed it. We were strongly supportive of traditional owners having a negotiated process."

He says he believes Mr Pearson's brother, Gerhardt, from the BDC, deliberately prevented talks so they could portray the Wilderness Society and the Government as blinkered.

"I believe there was a meeting scheduled in February in Coen where traditional owners were going to sit down with the Government, and that meeting got cancelled by Balkanu at short notice because they wanted to have a big fight over it," he said.

Traditional owners

Mr Robertson would not comment when asked about these claims, but noted that Balkanu was funded by his department to facilitate discussion with traditional owners.

"If traditional owners are complaining that they were excluded from consultation, then that's a matter in the first instance that was the responsibility of Balkanu," he said.

"If the Society wants to forward me information of the suggestions that have been made, I will of course follow them up."

Both Mr Robertson and Dr Seelig said any suggestions by critics of Wild Rivers that the legislation somehow stopped small-scale economic development was wrong.

"We are very cognisant of the need to provide opportunities for ongoing economic opportunities," Mr Robertson said.

"We need to make sure that existing rights are respected, including Indigenous and traditional rights.

"When you actually read what's contained in the Wild Rivers declarations, not only have we taken a precautionary approach in terms of the science and the need for protection, but we've also balanced that by recognising that there are aspirations, particularly by traditional owners, to generate wealth and generate jobs."